BED BUGS

Bed bugs typically have small, flat, oval-shaped bodies and are wingless, although they do have vestiges of wings called ‘wing pads’, which shape their back. These insects are brown in colour, though after feedings they normally become reddened. You can expect their bodies to be up to 5mm long – a similar size to an apple seed.

Bed bugs bite exposed skin and feed on your blood during the night, resulting in bites that are red and itchy. Other signs include: small bugs or tiny white eggs in the crevices of your mattress and furniture, tiny black spots of dried poo on your mattress, blood spots from squashed bugs, mottled bedbug shells and an unpleasant, musty scent in your bedroom or home.

To get rid of bed bugs, you need to call in the professionals, as de-bugging your home is a complex process and treatments must be very thorough. Standard treatments include a bed bug specific insecticide, which is applied to where bed bugs could be hiding; bed frames, flooring, headboards and skirting boards. Mattresses should also be sprayed with a water-diluted spray, and all bed-linen needs to be washed at the highest possible temperature.